RECORD STORE DAY 2011

Sunday, June 21, 2009

So...the wildly successful RECORD STORE DAY has decided to keep the limited edition RSD titles rolling, in hopes of drawing attention to the shops that (i know it's crazy) sell music. Even vinyl records. They've dubbed it Vinyl Saturdays and if you're reading this here blog...the secret is out. We are carrying a few titles (still). Since the lights went out on the Scratch on Vinyl Saturday (conspiracy? sabotage?), and so did many of the little machines and things (like the OPEN sign!) we take for granted ceased to function...we couldn't really tell you about it. Brandon "Get Mugged" Sugga helped keep things under control with his cool demeanor and a trusty calculator while switches were flipped and, thanks to our pals at RISE ABOVE TATTOO (and a long extension cord), order was (somewhat) restored. So yeah...we got some limited records in.EARTH - RADIO/LIVE lp - The good folks at Southern Lord present this 3000 copy pressing (vinyl only) from EARTH, documenting a live to air radio broadcast. Here are the specs from the Southern Lord site: "Comprised of two tracks from a live radio broadcast on KFJC (New Years Eve 2007) and two track from a live performance in Vienna on there 2008 European tour. Of particular note is that Trey Spruance (Secret Chief 3, Faxed Head) plays Baritone Guitar and sitar on the KFJC recordings. The sound quality is incredible and crystal clear! Randall Dunn (sunn 0))) , Boris, Kinski) was the live sound engineer and the recordings were ultimately mastered by Mell Dettmer. The 180 gram black vinyl comes housed in a beautiful cloth-like textured heavy-weight cardboard sleeve with metallic silver foil printing! This release is limited to 3,000 copies and as with all Southern Lord vinyl it is highly collectible and they will go fast!"Speaking of Southern Lord, we finally did an order direct with the label and their distro. Expect, coming this week, new titles from WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM and PELICAN along with some re-stocks from WEEDEATER, SUNN and more.

A few other incoming and/or re-stocked titles that missed the last update include:AGNOSTIC FRONT - Victim In Pain early NYHC (before it was a dirty word) classic. New lower price than the last time it passed through our racks. Speaking of which, a copy or two of the early ANTIDOTE record remain.

CAN - MONSTER MOVIE - Seminal debut from "the Can". 'Yoo do right' by owning a copy of this krautrock classic. They usually go quick. Import.BLANK DOGS - Under and Under2x LP/Waiting 7" - For years, a mysterious one man project of Brooklyn hep cat Mike Sniper...the Blank Dogs sign with In The Red Records and present their perfect take on early New Order,Cure, etc worship. Danceable and dark. Yeah, it's been done...but seldom is it done right and with a unique twist of eerie and dark distorto vocals, it has a mind of it's own. Being on In The Red Records also means it's not an overpriced double, either...though it looks (and sounds) fantastic. Intrigued? We still hold copies of the earlier 12" records that preceded this opus. And an accompanying 7" "Waiting".

GG ALLIN - Always Was, Always Is And Always Shall Be - Before totally going off the deep end, GG (and the Jabbers) wrote some amazingly catchy and raw punk rock songs. Here are many of those classics.

SPACEMEN 3 - DJ Tones - Clear vinyl issue of 1000 copies! The first piece of Spacemen 3 vinyl we've come across, this "mini-lp" (actually, it clocks in over 25 minutes) features 2 previously unreleased S3 tracks-the rest unreleased demo versions. Import only at this time and we're not sure if they will be released stateside or in another pressing, so if you're a fan...get on it. The kings of guitar drone are right here for you.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

For those of you who invaded the Scratch on Record Store Day awhile back...the folks who thought of the whole thing are back with an event called "Vinyl Saturdays". Of course, every day is vinyl day at Spiral Scratch (but yes, we still carry new and used cd, dvd and print product)...we just thought we would tip our blog readers off to some more limited records. Very limited...so dont tell your friends (if you have any). In addition...we are finally on the ball with a few new releases.SONIC YOUTH - the Eternal Album number 16 from a band who keeps on ticking, seemingly effortlessly at this point. The Eternal is a beautifully packaged double lp (seems to be almost the norm these days) with free download, and heavy duty lp's inside a glossy, beautiful cover. As for the music, we've heard good things. Really good things. We ordered these direct through Matador and are gasping at what other outlets are selling it for. We have this at the "Nice Price™" while supplies last.

ADVERTS - Crossing The Red Sea LP - Singles Collection LP - Some of the finest the UK had to offer in the late 70s, these slabs are back in stock and absolutely essential to any fan of first wave British punk. A short career, yet they remain timeless and one of the best bands to emerge from that time period.

CHRIS BELL - I Am The Cosmos - A favorite of Team Scratch member, "Wild Bill", Chris Bell was a founder and major creative presence in the early years of BIG STAR. After leaving the band he created this deeply personal collection of songs that would be released years after his troubling death. A must for BIG STAR fans who are both aware or unaware of the unsung hero of the first two albums from the Memphis legends. Another handsome re-issue on the trustworthy 4 Men With beards imprint.

NECROS - "Conquest For Death" 1983 lp. First ever release on Touch & Go...back when Tesco was callin' the shots...

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS - Inflammable Material LP Shit, yeah.

EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING - Primary ColoursLong awaited re-stock of this aussie sensations amazing sophomore effort (and some big shoes to fill at that, mate)....ECSR play it straight-ahead, with thick accents, driving and catchy punk rock songs and no strings attached. A band that is hard not to like and album that will most likely be affixed to many "best of" lists at years end. Our copies have yellow covers this time around; hope thats cool with you. We also have their latest 7" in stock, too.Get on this, as it sold out quickly last time. REVIEW

THE HORRORS - Primary Colours - Yep, another album named Primary Colours...except it's from UK band the Horrors (on XL Recordings). They have apparently abandoned their "creepy" sounds for a more psychedelic drone direction on this one (it's been moving fast, too) and has received rave reviews.

RANCID - Let The Dominoes Fall 2x lp- It's sure been awhile, but RANCID fans rejoice...the band is still alive and intact, minus longtime drummer brett reed, has resurfaced with a bombastic double lp, their 7th (cd with dvd available for special order). See ya in the Scratch...NEKO CASE - Middle Cyclone LP (shipped) - This time we discovered the magic of the "pre-order" and will have these in a timely fashion. Her fifth album (we also have, in stock, Canadian Amp and the live Tigers Have Spoken albums) and it features the same core band that has been backing her throughout.

Keep an eye on out on the black Bargain Crate, which features new releases and old classics marked down from $1-$4! Lots of incoming used and dollar bin fodder, too. Get in here, squares!-anchovies 6/18 5:09 am

Friday, June 5, 2009

As always, we'd like to thank everyone who came in to see another fantastic In-Store performance--this time it was the work of Buffalo ex-pat Odie Wilson--ex Baseball Furie, currently from the NYC based Vilent Lovers Club. Also, a big thank you to all who attended/supported Big Neck Records 4th (and 10 year anniversary) Pain In The Big Neck Show. Last weekend was certainly one for the ages--and the final chapters on two bands who effectively kick-started the Big Neck label--The Blowtops and The Baseball Furies. Without question, our fine city was lucky to have them both.

The Blowtops shared split records with the likes of the White Stripes and had Jay Reatard contribute a song to their 2x 7" 10 year tribute (available here...last copies), recorded with the likes of Wharton Tiers (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) and toured Europe several times, where they saw their greatest appreciation.

As the Baseball Furies were parting ways, they went into Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio, under the guidance of Bob Weston, and recorded what would be their final album, Throw Them To The Lions. The album would be the final point in their evolution as a wild and raw garage punk band to a great, honest rock and roll band-without sacrificing any of the energy or desperation of their earliest days. Their influences became apparent and they now had the confidence to quiet things down and showcase their talents as great songwriters who can effortlessly throw in a catchy hook without forgetting the rage that initially provoked them into dedicating their lives to rock and roll. Their final performance was one of the greatest things these eyes have ever witnessed on the Mohawk Stage. Perhaps I'm biased a bit...but there was litle question the band had lost anything; if anything the songs never sounded better. Their local supporters, and fans from out of town alike losing themselves for a time while the band blasted through 2 sets--clearly having the time of their lives, yet humble enough to take the show seriously enough to execute the songs with perfection. They spent most of their short visit practicing the sets. As for the album, it was released on this night and is now available here on both lp and cd format.________________________________________________________Incoming Stock!

APPLESEED CAST - Mara Vitalis - playing buffalo soon!LIFETIME - s/t - the first in a series of Lifetime lp reissues!WARSAW - LP - pre-Joy Division import of the initially scrapped first lp with 5 bonus tracks.We also still have copies of the even rougher sounding Ideal For Killing import.

HIGH TENSION WIRES - Midnight Cashier - second and superior album from Marked Men (3) and a Red (pre-Marked Men band) spin off band. Confused? Basically, sounds like another great Marked Men album under a different name. Essential to Marked Men fans.

INSECT WARFARE - self titled - latest and, apparently, the last offering from Houston, TX grindcore band. A one sided 12" that spins, appropriately, at 45 rpms. There is something on the other side...but i'm pretty sure it's not music.

KID DYNAMITE - HOT SHOTS & YOUTH ANTHEMS LPA vinyl version of this posthumous release, which contains songs culled from every compilation and split release, cover songs, the original six-song demo, a live radio appearance, and assorted demo versions of KID DYNAMITE classics.

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Bill said to get this thing in--it's a fuckin' classic. So we did. He was correct.

NOFX - Frisbee (LP)/Coaster (CD) Their latest in stock and in both formats.NOBUNNY - Love Visions - Repress of hard to score solo outing courtesy of Justin (Sneaky Pinks/Okmoniks). Pure fun. Bubblegummy pop punk, loosely performed. The soundtrack for your next house wrecking dance party. Look around, and you'll also see we have the Sneaky Pinks 7" in stock this week as well.

RADIOHEAD - High & Dry 12" ep - In addition to keep in stock a good portion of their full length catalog, which often includes rare import live and unreleased collection, we've tested the 12" ep waters with this fine slab from their classic album. This particular 12" includes the non-lp b-side Maquiladora and the hexidecimal mix ofPlanet Telex. Plenty more of recently issued 12" singles are available upon request. We picked some from the Bends because it so happens to be this hack writing this favorite Radiohead album.

GRIZZLY BEAR - Veckatimest - These are moving out quickly, but more are due in soon.

16 - Bridges To Burn - Long running, yet sporadic band 16 unleash their first long player since 2003 with Bridges To Burn, We have not forgotten the 'heads, by any means. We also still have copies of the latest Mastodon (Crack the Skye) lp, Pig Destroyer - Natasha and the diy released Otesanek lp on NancyJo Records (dave bailey, buffalo ex-pat's imprint). Our used section is not light on it's precious metals, either.

REGIONAL RELEASE REPORTLocally, we have recently received releases from the Missing Planes, and front woman's solo project Ellen West "Preparing To Be Forgotten", as well as some mighty handsome Missing Planes t-shirts.Also, the latest from hard rocking CHYLDE with their Now It Can Be Told CD.We're also carrying a few releases off of up and coming Rochester label Farewell Party Records (Nick says he's a cool dude) with a full-length LP by the Capital District's CALEB LIONHEART "Think Hardcore, Play Pop Punk" [mystery colors], Rochester's HEAVY HEARTED s/t 7" ep (also on differing colors-no peeking, nerds)) and a cleverly packaged cassette tape from New Bedford, Massachusetts pop punkers (and dashingly handsome) HALF HEARTED HERO aka HHH --a12 song cassette entitled Defining, Refining. We have blue and green. Yep. Also, a reminder that we are carrying Salamanca's VEGA VINYL releases, the latest being DAMERIA's M(US)IC lp.

Psychedelic Scratchings:Chicago's Vee Dee not only put out one of the Spiral Scratch "Team Scratch" consensus favorites so far this year, the fuzzed out psych-garage powerhouse that is their second lp, a double that includes a cd of the album (and is back in stock now), Public Mental Health System, but they also turned us on to a obscure psych-rock masterpiece that for years was a collectors dream; now is pressed to 180 grams of vinyl and will cost you less than a pizza!

The Koala, a nyc band who, for some strange reason, were billed as Aussies, put their one and only album out in 1968. From the AllMusicGuide: "The Koala mixes the Who's frantic rhythms and Stones-style garage rock with riotous psych leads and venomous, proto-punk vocals. An impressive introduction, but the unit decided to call it a day soon after their album was made available and the record disappeared without much notice. It was rediscovered in the 1990s, with original LPs selling for high prices to fans of long-lost, high-energy garage psych-punk." (4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DELUXE REISSUES & RESTOCKS DAVID BOWIE - Hunky Dory & Aladdin SaneTHE CURE - PornographyTOM WAITS - SwordfishtrombonesGRAM PARSONS - GP & Grievous AngelBIG STAR - #1 Record & Radio CityGODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR! - f#a#, Lift Your s|Skinny Fists... and Yanqui X.O.

Don't forget our fancy music related dvd section...which now includes a few used (and cheap) previously enjoyed titles, and some hard to find titles too...like the classic "URGH! A MUSIC WAR!" , "BEAT CLUB BEST OF's" and a "BEST OF FLIPSIDE VIDEO" DVD. These sit alongside current must-haves like the Minutemen documentary (plus bonus disc full of live footage) WE JAM ECONO, Belle & Sebastian's "FANS ONLY", several cool GBV titles, Live Jesus Lizard video and tons more.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\Most of us at Team Scratch do a radio show Saturday Nights on WBNY 91.3 fm (you can hear it streaming live at wbny.org) called SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE BOOKSTORE. Some people call it "the punk show" but we know better. It's all over the musical map depending on our moods. Punk, post-punk, proto-punk, indie, hardcore, post-hardcore,garage, rock, psychedelic, shitgaze™, weird punk, metal, hard rock, power-pop, powerviolence (well, not very much at all of that), noise, and other yet to be named genres. This all takes place at 9pm on Saturday nights. Anyway, more importantly-- over the last few years, the WBNY Alumni Association formed to keep a watch on things and help out as the station struggles with university politics and is grossly underfunded. The group volunteers their time and is made up of former WBNY station members. We are proud to be selling the WBNY 91.3fm Rebellious Jukebox t-shirts here to support the organization. ALL proceeds of t-shirt sales will go directly to help the people who help WBNY, an important part of the music community that needs to be heard and supported. Now get in here and buy a shirt...and some records.

SPIRAL SCRATCH RECORDS.....

...one of Buffalo's only independent record stores focusing on vinyl sales both new and used (although we do sell clothing, books, magaZINES, stickers, buttons, cassettes, vintage stereo gear, a few cd's, and DVDs as well). We specialize in stocking old and new punk, hardcore, metal, garage and indie-rock, soul, jazz, country AND western, $1 beaters/guilty pleasures, record cleaning stuff (not overpriced snake oils) and just about everything else. We are always looking to buy to used clean vinyl , give us a call or stop in the store any time.